Restaurant Review: Babaluu’s Cocina Cubana

I love yuca

By: Bill Kohlhaase
Published online: Friday, October 12, 2012
Appeared in: Pasateimpo

When Amaury Torres set out from Havana on a raft in 1994 he probably didn’t expect to land in New Mexico. But here he is, after stints in Miami and Portland, Oregon, opening his own restaurant, the excellent Babaluu’s Cocina Cubana, in rural San Marcos. You’d have to look hard to find a more unlikely location for Cuban dining; but then the food isn’t authentically or strictly Cuban. Torres spent his time in Portland working in the city’s sophisticated restaurant scene, and his ever-changing dinner menu reflects nouvelle as well as Caribbean and New Mexican influence. Lunches, with their Cuban sandwiches (though not quite like the pressed Cuban sandwiches expatriates build for their American clientele in cities across the country), fried yuca (cassava root), and black-bean salsa, harbor the most island influence.

The place sits just off Turquoise Trail across from the Lone Butte General Store. It’s easy to miss, the entry nondescript. But drive around to the other side of the building and there’s a bright mural depicting a Cuban street scene and a couple of palm trees silhouetting the entrance. It’s an attractive setting. Sunsets are stunning, visible from the patio, and there’s an outdoor dance floor in the works. Dining here can some- times mean more fun than you bargained for.

The first time we traveled to Babaluu’s we followed not one but two large looping rainbows. No, we didn’t find a pot of gold — the rainbows seemed anchored further south — but we did get a cup of gazpacho worth treasuring. There was no music that night (infrequently, a guitarist and percussionist entertain, and dancing is encouraged), but the scene was still lively, even chaotic, as servers rushed between the dining room and patio, and dishes were whisked out of the kitchen by anyone available. Hostess Mary Torres, the owner’s wife, claims an affinity with Lucille Ball (you’ll see Lucy’s photo near the entrance), and the scramble sometimes resembles an I Love Lucy sketch. The rustic dining room has plank floors and a large stone fireplace hosting fat candles. The room can feel tight when crowded, and don’t be surprised if you’re bumped by a server as they hurry by. It’s all part of the fun.

You can check Babaluu’s website — the weekend dinner menu is usually posted on Thursday — to know what to expect. That first Saturday visit was a joy, starting with a savory pair of crab empanadas matched with a spirited mango sweet-and-sour sauce, and a garlicky bowl of steamed clams swimming in a complex broth with white wine, peppers, and herbs, perfect for dunking the home- made Cuban bread. The unusual chilled green gazpacho was rich with avocado and slightly tangy. A summer salad entrée was a heaping bowl of greens and peaches, roasted pecans, and blue cheese sweetly dressed with a raspberry dressing (Babaluu gets its seasonal fresh, organic fruit and vegetables from the nearby Synergia Ranch). A lightly breaded halibut Parmesan was a standout, its crisp coat tastefully seasoned, its insides flakey and flavorful. Havana Seafood Delight, a large bowl of clams, prawns, sea bass, and crimini mushrooms in the same broth that came with the clams, was spiked with fresh pesto. The roast pork seemed dry in comparison to the well-marinated, shredded Cuban pork we were familiar with but came alive in a dusky barbecue sauce that carried mango and whole cherries. On a quiet Sunday evening visit, accompanying dishes were the focus. Soupy black beans were served in a cup. Stirring in jasmine rice gave them texture. Our only complaint with the fried yuca was that there wasn’t more. A scoop of maduros (mature plantains) shredded and spiked with other vegetables was uninteresting and in need of a lift. Best was the green chile stew, not thick with chile but full of potatoes and shredded pork and deliciously spicy. The beef brochette was smoky from the grill and perfectly done; shrimp ajillo were delightfully garlicky.

Lunches here are leisurely affairs. The Cuban sandwich had first-rate components, the havarti cheese gracing the house-roasted pork and ham, all just moist enough to contrast with the crispy bread. The muffuletta sandwich adds a spunky tapenade and salty capicola. Sandwiches offer a chance to try some of the unusual sodas offered, including the deeply malty Malta or the Iron Beer, not a beer at all but a fruity soda that hides its copious sugars behind a wall of flavor. Desserts are standout, the orange flan putting a citrusy twist on a favorite, but especially the guava galette, tart enough that you’ll need a bit of the crispy pastry to even out the flavor. Want a special treat? Ask the bus boy for a dance. You won’t believe his moves.